Summary Concrete floors require preparation before applying a paint, high-performance coating system, stain or a concrete sealer. The floor needs to stay wet the entire time you are acid etching. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. In this case, you may need to use a mechanical solution, like a grinder, to finish etching the concrete. Klean-Strip® Muriatic Acid can be used to etch concrete, brighten concrete and masonry, or remove excess mortar from bricks. You can hurt yourself through carelessness and kids should be kept away while this is being done. More + Product Details Close Test the absorbency of a concrete floor by dropping a couple of small beads of water on the floor. … PowerEtch is a commercial-grade waterborne etching solution that gives concrete and masonry the “tooth” or “roughness” it needs! Cemtetch® is an industrial cleaning and acid-based concrete etching solution. This article has been viewed 239,478 times. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Muriatic acid is the product that has traditionally been used for concrete etching, but there are other substances available that can accomplish the same goal. Unique buffered mild acid solution has low fumes/odor and is safe for landscape and pets. It was A-to-Z on etching concrete and stain application, it was very helpful. In other words, how soon does the veneer have to be attached after the wall has been etched.months? … Acid etching is done to prep a concrete floor before applying the coating. If the floor was dry beforehand but the beads do not get absorbed quickly, the floor needs etching. It reacts with the alkaline in the concrete. This citric-acid-based formula is easy to use indoors and outdoors and opens up tiny pores within the concrete to allow for maximum penetration and adhesion. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 239,478 times. Use a sprayer or watering can to evenly distribute that acid and let it sit for 2-15 minutes or until it stops bubbling. By using our site, you agree to our. A one step concrete etch and clean solution that brings back a new look surface. From this point forward, you'll want to observe basic acid safety measures. Acid etching is the process of applying hydrochloric/muriatic or buffered phosphoric acid to a slab, then rinsing it off with water. (0 items) Inspect the surface as the acid works. NewLook QuickEtch is a biodegradable concrete etching compound specially designed to etch concrete floors, both green (fresh) and mature concrete. and I could not add, "The all of article is of value to me as I might have made some errors especially on the safety side of things. You'll also want to give the area a good sweeping to remove accumulated dust, dirt, or grime. Pictures helped enormously. Do I wait days or weeks before I start the etching process when I have just laid the self leveling compound today in my garage? Do I need to etch new concrete before I seal it? ", application of final product. For acid etching, a muriatic (hydrochloric) acid solution is spread on the concrete and brushed across the surface with a floor machine equipped with nylogrit brush used for etching and then is rinsed away. ", "Very informative. Yes. Even small pieces of debris can interfere with the reaction, potentially causing an uneven etching. Clean-N-Etch is biodegradable and safe to use near grass and plants. Find out how much paint you will need by using our online paint calculator. Last Updated: March 28, 2019 All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Can I acid etch concrete that has been sealed with a concrete sealer? ", anything to the information, especially the importance of safely handling this dangerous product. I didn't think I could do it myself. Keep the acid etch solution on until it stops foaming. After using an etcher on the outside, how long is it effective before using a paint coating? If you accidentally pour acid into the first container first, you can pour water into the second container and then transfer the acid to it to easily correct for your error. It took 0 milliseconds to generate this page. Information on staining surfaces such as basements and garage floors. 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